Mukesh Khanna on Adipurush teaser: ‘Hindu Gods are not handsome like Schwarzenegger, they are beautiful’

Actor Mukesh Khanna has reacted to the recently launched Adipurush teaser and said that the looks of Hindu Gods in the teaser are not true to what everyone believes. Admitting that no one may claim having seen the Gods, he also said that Ram or Krishna are beautiful and have feminine features on their faces. (Also read: ‘Sita’ Dipika Chikhlia on Adipurush row: ‘If the character is from Sri Lanka…’)

Om Raut launched the teaser of Prabhas-Saif Ali Khan-starrer Adipurush last week and it has been widely criticised for the looks of the lead characters. Responding to it, Mukesh Khanna said, “Not everyone may agree with me, but Hindu Gods are not handsome. They are beautiful. They are not handsome like (Arnold) Schwarzenegger. Look at Ram or Krishna for example. They are not bodybuilders, they have a soft, docile, and grand look on their faces. No one can claim they met Ram or Krishna, but from whatever we have seen over the years, they have a feminine look. People who worship them never think of Ram or Hanuman with moustaches.”

“You call the film Adipurush, you may tell me that it is the story of a man from the stone Age. Why do you have the title of Ramayan then? We had a huge beard for Bheeshma Pitamah (Mukesh Khanna’s role in Mahabharat), you cannot simply show him as a clean-shaven man. Let me tell you that such a film will not work, because you want to use the faith that the audience has in Ramayan but you also challenge the faith,” he added.

He also said that a huge investment and major VFX cannot make a good film. “The looks of (characters from the) Ramayan and Mughal looks cannot be compared. Are you making fun of it all? Pardon me for saying it straight, but the film will not work. Only VFX or investing ₹100- ₹1000 crore in a film cannot make Ramayan. It will be based on the values, and performances. You cannot use looks from Avatar and say we are making Ramayan. If you make fun of the characters, people may not just laugh at you but will be furious with you. You may say we are making a fictitious story about an ancient man, do not call it Ramayan. I warn rich people ‘do not use your money to change our rituals, religion or epics. If you wish to, try it with other religion.”